


The Burden of the Truth

by Serpents_of_Fire_and_Fog



Category: Heathers (1988), Heathers: The Musical - Murphy & O'Keefe
Genre: Gen, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Post-Canon, no violence is explicit though it is talked about
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:08:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27988224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Serpents_of_Fire_and_Fog/pseuds/Serpents_of_Fire_and_Fog
Summary: Heather McNamara wants to know what's really been going on, and she thinks Veronica has some answers.
Relationships: Heather McNamara & Veronica Sawyer
Kudos: 13





	The Burden of the Truth

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger warnings: mentioned suicide; mentioned explosions/ bombs; mentioned murder. Nothing is explicitly shown but is spoken about.

Heather McNamara was exhausted. All her time over the past couple weeks had been spent in absolute havoc. First one of her best friends had died, then her last date. Now, Veronica Sawyer sat in her living room, her hair and clothes a mess, covered in ash, while Heather made tea. Heather herself was pale and a bit shaky, and her eyes were constantly flitting about the room. She was almost more of a mess than the parking lot of the school. It had been when flooded with students after what sounded like a large explosion shook the entire gymnasium. 

Heather’s heels clicked against the tile floor as she made her way into her family’s sitting room. She sat in a chair across from Veronica, handing her a cup of hot tea before crossing her knees and staring at the girl as she took a sip from her own cup. She knew Veronica was avoiding her eyes, but she persisted nevertheless, doing her best to start some sort of conversation. 

“What the hell happened,” Heather asked. Her eyes burned intensely into the side of Veronica's face. The girl was still refusing to look at her even when she spoke. 

“J.D. stole some of his dad’s explosives and used them to commit suicide in the school’s parking lot,” she seemed rather calm for someone who had just watched her boyfriend get blown to bits. Heather raised an eyebrow. It was clear that what her friend was saying was only half of the truth. It was then that Veronica finally made eye contact. Though she seemed to be calm and collected, Heather could see right through to the fear hidden deep behind her eyes. 

“What aren’t you telling me?,” Heather whispered, letting her eyes wander over the girl. She hyper-analyzed every single movement she made. Every flinch, every tap of her hand or blink of her eyes. Veronica sighed, running her hands through her grimy hair. Heather continued to interrogate her. 

“Did you know this would happen,” Veronica shook her head, “Were you two fighting,” that time Veronica hesitated momentarily before nodding.

“Up until the very end,” that time Heather could not quite make out Veronica’s tone. Wistful? 

After many other relentless questions, and not getting much out of her, Heather finally worked up the courage to ask what was really on her mind. 

“Did this have anything to do with the other three suicides,” Heather could not bring herself to say the names of her not so long gone peers. She watched as Veronica froze in response to her words, setting her teacup down on the table. 

“No. Of course not,” but Heather could already see through her thin curtain of lies. She narrowed her eyes at the girl, trying to calm her growing anger. She had long since abandoned patience. 

“What do you know?” her words were slow and deliberate. She watched as her friend winced in response to each one. She glanced around nervously again, hugging her arms around her body. 

“If I tell you, you have to swear to never tell anyone,” Veronica’s voice was so serious it sent a chill down Heather’s spine. She drew her jacket tighter around herself before nodding. She, however, still allowed for skepticism to remain showing on her face. Veronica took a deep breath, then launched into an explanation of everything that had happened, everything she knew. 

“None of those suicides, excluding J.D.’s, were really suicides,” Heather felt her stomach drop at Veronica’s words. She wanted to run, forget that she had even heard that single sentence. Instead, she remained, listening intently as Veronica continued, “It started with Chandler. He gave her a poisoned hangover ‘cure.’ Then when she collapsed he had me forge her note. He did it again with Kurt and Ram. He told me we wouldn’t really kill them. Just leave them long enough to ruin their reputation. I, once again, willingly forged their note. The worst part about that one is he told me; ‘Ich luge,’ he said. “I lie” in German. I could have stopped it.” Her voice was a whisper. She looked down at her hands as she said it. She allowed herself a moment to breathe before continuing. 

“But it still wasn’t enough for him. It never would be. He wanted the whole school gone. Thought he could just blow it up. I faked my own suicide knowing it was the only way to have any chance at stopping him. He put a bomb in the boiler room. I tried to stop him but he wouldn’t listen. I shot him, took the bomb assuming he was dead, and planned to blow myself up to protect the school. But as it turned out, J.D. wasn’t dead yet. He took the bomb from me and blew himself up. He was going to die anyway. Figured he’d make it count I guess.” 

Veronica finished, staring up at Heather expectantly. The girl had yet to speak, it was as though she was frozen. Everything her friend just told her weighed on her. She wanted to be angry at Veronica, but she knew that the girl was not the only one she could blame. At last, she sighed and met Veronica’s eyes.

“Your secret is safe with me,” Heather said almost reluctantly. Veronica allowed her shoulders to slump in relief. After a moment of thoughtful consideration, Heather stood up and walked over to Veronica. She sat beside her and wrapped her arms around her friends shoulders. Veronica leaned into the embrace, thankful for it more than just about anything. 

Heather knew deep down that she should go to the police. She knew she should run from Veronica and never look back. But what good would it do? It would never bring back those that were lost. Instead it would only lose her the last real friend she had. She took a moment to steady her breathing. Whatever happened from there between her and Veronica would not be easy. But at least now she helped to carry the burden that would surely tear her friend apart. 

**Author's Note:**

> As usual I suck at naming things but here we are. I'm done with school for the semester, so hopefully that means I'll get more time to write. Until January at least.  
> As always let me know if there were any mistakes and have a good day/ night/ whatever applies!!


End file.
